Aren’t there a couple of types of vacation? One kind is full of activities the whole time. These are the vacations that are remembered for years later and are packed with adventure, and you head back to work more exhausted than you left.
Then there are the relaxing kinds of vacations. You might not even do much of anything on this type of vacation. Maybe you drink a bit of wine. Perhaps you spend a day (or two, or three) on the beach. Or maybe you’re getting pampered at some resort for your entire vacation. These are the peaceful and relaxing types of vacations.
There’s no right or wrong way to vacation. Whatever way you prefer, however, untreated hearing loss can put your vacation in jeopardy.
Hearing loss can spoil a vacation
There are some distinct ways that hearing loss can make a vacation more challenging, particularly if you don’t know you have hearing loss. Look, hearing loss can creep up on you like nobody’s business, many people have no clue they have it. The volume on all their devices just keeps going higher and higher.
But the impact that hearing loss can have on a vacation can be reduced with some proven strategies, and that’s the good news. The first move, of course, will be to schedule a hearing screening if you haven’t already. The more ready you are before you go, the easier it will be to diminish any power hearing loss could have over your fun, rest, and relaxation.
How can your vacation be effected by hearing loss
So how can hearing loss negatively effect your next vacation? There are actually a small number of ways as it turns out. Individually, they might not seem like that big of a deal. But when they begin to add up it can become a real problem. Here are a few common examples:
- You miss significant notices: Maybe you’re waiting for your train or aircraft to board, but you don’t ever hear the announcement. And as a result, your entire vacation schedule is thrown into absolute disarray.
- The radiant life of a new place can be missed: When what you’re hearing is muted, your experience could be muted also. After all, you could fail to hear the unique bird calls or humming traffic noises that make your vacation spot unique and memorable.
- Language barriers are even more difficult: It’s difficult enough to overcome a language barrier. But untreated hearing loss can make it even harder to understand voices (especially in a noisy setting).
- Meaningful experiences with friends and family can be missed: Everybody enjoyed the funny joke that your friend just told, but unfortunately, you didn’t hear the punchline. Important and enriching conversations can be missed when you have neglected hearing loss.
Not surprisingly, if you’re wearing your hearing aids, some of these negative impacts can be lessened and minimized. Which means the best way to keep your vacation moving in the right direction and free of stress is to manage your hearing needs before you start.
If you have hearing loss, how can you get ready for your vacation?
That doesn’t mean that you can’t go on a trip if you have hearing loss. Not by any Means! But with a little extra planning and preparation, your vacation can still be enjoyable and relatively hassle-free. Of course, that’s pretty common travel advice no matter how strong your hearing is.
You can be sure that hearing loss won’t have a negative effect on your vacation, here are some things you can do:
- Do some pre-planning: It’s okay to be spontaneous to some degree, but the more planning you do before you go, the less you’ll have to figure things out on the fly (and that’s when hearing loss can introduce more obstacles).
- Bring extra batteries: There’s nothing worse than your hearing aid dying on day 1 because your batteries went dead. Always make sure you bring spares! Now, you may be thinking: can I have spare batteries in my luggage? The exact rules and guidelines will depend on the airline. Some types of batteries need to be kept in your carry-on.
- Keep your hearing aids clean: Before you head out on your travels, make sure you clean your hearing aids. This can help avoid problems from happening while you’re on your vacation. Keeping your hearing aids on their scheduled maintenance is also a smart plan.
Tips for traveling with hearing aids
Once all the preparation and planning is done, it’s time to hit the road! Or maybe it’s the airways. Before you head out to the airport, there are a number of things about flying with hearing aids you should certainly know about.
- If I wear my hearing aids more than normal, is that ok? Hearing aids are meant to be used every day, all day. So you should be wearing your hearing aids anytime you’re not in an extremely loud place, swimming, or showering.
- Can I wear my hearing aids while I’m on the plane? You won’t need to turn off your hearing aids when you get that “all electronics must be off” spiel. That said, you might want to activate flight mode on hearing aids that heavily rely on wifi or Bluetooth connectivity. You may also want to tell the flight attendants you have hearing loss, as there may be announcements throughout the flight that are hard to hear.
- Do I have to take my hearing aids out when I go through TSA security? You can wear your hearing aids through the security screening process. That being said, telling the TSA agents you’re wearing hearing aids is always a good idea. If there is any kind of conveyor belt or X-ray machines, make sure your hearing aids don’t go through that belt. Conveyor-belt style X-ray machines can produce a static charge that can damage your hearing aids.
- Will my smartphone be helpful? Your smartphone is very useful, not surprisingly. Once you land, you can utilize this device to adjust the settings on your hearing aid (if you have the right kind of hearing aid), find directions to your destination, and even translate foreign languages. If your phone is capable of doing all that (and you know how to use all those apps), it could take some stress off your ears.
- Should I know my rights? Before you travel it’s not a bad idea to become familiar with your rights. If you have hearing loss, you’ll have many rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act. But basically, it comes down to this: information has to be accessible to you. So if you feel like you’re missing out on some info, let an airport official know that you have hearing loss and they will most likely offer a solution.
- Will I be able to hear well in an airport? How well you can hear in an airport will depend on which airport it is and what time of day. But a telecoil device will normally be set up in many areas of most modern airports. This device is specially made to help people with hearing aids hear their surroundings better.
Vacations are one of life’s many adventures
Whether you have loss of hearing or not, vacations are hard to predict. Sometimes, the train can go off the rails. That’s why it’s essential that you have a positive attitude and treat your vacation like you’re embracing the unanticipated.
That way, when something unforeseen happens (and it will), it’ll feel like it’s all part of the plan!
Of course, the other side to that is that preparation can go a long way. With the right preparation, you can make sure you have options when something goes wrong, so an inconvenience doesn’t turn into a disaster.
For those who have hearing loss, this preparation often begins by getting your hearing tested and making sure you have the hardware and care you require. And whether you’re on vacation number one (sightseeing in the city), or vacation number two (chilling on a tropical beach somewhere), this advice will still hold.
Want to be certain you can hear the big world out there but still have questions? Give us a call today!